Car supporting construction



E. J. SATTLER 2,l84,021i

CAR SUPPORTING CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 17, 1937 Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The invention relates generally to car supporting construction for carrying the load of two cars at the joint thereof, and more particularly to an improved car supporting construction for use where the individual cars are adapted for rapid coupling or uncoupling.

A car supporting construction of this general type is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,024,603, dated December 17, 1935, and entitled Car supporting means, and this application embodies improvements over the construction disclosed in said patent.

The present invention is particularly adapted for high speed articulated trains wherein a single truck supports the adjoining ends of the cars, because in such trains as are now in use, the individual cars are not intended to be uncoupled and no provision is made for supporting the uncoupled end of any car.

The requirements for a car supporting construction for supporting the ends of two cars in coupled or uncoupled position include the provision of supporting means associated with the cars and coupling means associated with the supporting means and the cars in such a way as to transmit pushing and pulling forces substantially in a straight line, which may be termed the line of draft. 5

Also, the coupling means should be adapted t employ a standard type of draft gear for yieldingly absorbing shock in either direction.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved supporting means for the ends of two cars in coupled or uncoupled position.

Another object is to provide improved supporting means associated with the joint between two car ends in such a way as to transmit draft forces from one car to the other in a substantially straight line.

Another object is to provide improved coupling means associated with the supporting means so as to transmit draft forces in a substantially straight line when the cars are coupled.

A further object is to provide improved coupling means associated with the supporting means in such a way as to be capable of employing a standard type of draft gear.

A still further object is to provide supporting means including an improved auxiliary support for one car end in uncoupled position.

It is also a general object of the present invention to provide an improved car supporting and coupling mechanism which will accomplish all of the foregoing objects, which is simple, rugged and practical in construction and operation, and which involves a minimum of manufacturing and maintenance cost.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, elements, combinations and arrangements comprising the present invention, as shown in the drawing and hereinafter described, disclosed and claimed.

In general terms,- the present invention may be stated as including a load distributing member pivotally connected with one car and having one end carried by the main truck at the joint between two car ends and the other end carrying an auxiliary support for said one car end, coupling means associated with said load distributing member, and said coupling means and said member being so constructed and arranged as to transmit draft forces from one car to the other in a substantially straight line.

Referring to the drawing forming part hereof,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved car supporting construction applied to two car ends in coupled position, parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 2-4, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view as on line 3-3, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view similar to Fig. 1; and a Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Similar. reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Although the invention is shown and described as applied to railway cars, it will be understood that it may be applied to other vehicles, which are supported at the joint and adapted to be individually supported when uncoupled, as for instance, in a truck and trailer construction.

In the drawing, the ends of two cars ill and II are shown coupled together and supported by the improved car supporting and coupling mechanism. The underframe of car Ill preferably includes sill members l2 connected to an end sill I3 at the end of the car, and the underframe of car ll preferably includes sill members l4 connected to an end sill 15 at the adjoining end of the car. Each car has at its other end a framework identical with that of the adjoining end of the other car.

The end sill l3 has formed at its central portion a preferably cast socket portion l6 which fits betweenthe sills l2 and'extends longitudinally inwardly from the adjoining end of car III. The socket I6 has a bottom wall I1, side walls I8, end wall I9, and top Wall 20.

A male joint portion 2| projects downwardly from bottom wall I! for making a swiveled connection with the female joint member 22 of a four wheel truck 23 of usual construction, having wheels 24 rolling on rails R, and the truck 23 forms the main support for the joined ends of cars I!) and II.

The bottom wall I! of the socket I6 is preferably substantially horizontal and extends over the joint 2|, 22, and a downwardly inclined guide plate 25, preferably outwardly flared at its end, as shown inFig. 1, extends-from said bottom wall I1 under the end of adjoining car, I], for a purpose hereinafter described.

The improved car supporting construction preferably includes a load distributing bar, or load bearing lever 26, which is carried by the adjoining end of car II. As best shown in Fig. 3, the bar 26 is pivoted intermediate its ends on the sills I4 for rocking movement in a vertical plane and for swinging movement in a horizontal plane.

Preferably, the bar 26 has an upwardly projecting pivot stud 21, and the stud 2'Iis journaled or swiveled in a pivot block 28 which has laterally extending trunnions 29 journaled in bracket supports 30 secured to the sills I4. The pivot stud 21 is held in the block 28' by any suitable means, such as the washer 21b and pin 210. This construction provides 'a' simple and exceedingly rugged connection betweeni the end of car II and bar 26, for transmitting pushing and pulling forces substantially in the line of draft, as wil be hereinafter more fully described. I

The end portion of the load bearing lever 26, which extends under car II, isslightly downwardly inclined and is preferably bifurcated to form two arms 32 for being mounted on the axle housing 33 at laterally spaced points just inside the wheels 34 of a two wheel'truck 35, which serves as theauxiliary support for the end of car II when the same is uncoupled. Preferably, the ends of the arms 32 have downwardly open yokes 36 slidably fitting in guides- 3'! formed in squared portions 38 of the axle housing 33, and springs 39 are interposed betweensaid squared portions 38 and theclosed ends ofyokes 36 for yieldingly resisting upward movement of the axle housing in the yokes.

As shown, the upper side of each yoke may be provided with a roller 4ll-for engaging a trans: verse bolster member 4! to support the end of car I I at laterally spaced points'on the auxiliary truck when the car'is uncoupled. I I

The other end portion 42 of I the bar or lever 26 is preferably substantially horizontal in coupled position, and is adapted for connection withthe draft gear and the improved coupling means. Laterally spaced rollers 43 are journaled on the under side of end portion 42 for rolling up the inclined guide plate 25 and onto the bottom wall I! of socket I6, when the car II is moved from the uncoupled position shown in 'dotdash lines in Fig. 2 to the coupled full line position. As shown, the rollers ,43 are located-so as to be directly over the joint 2|, 22 between the socket and main supportingtruck 23 when the cars are coupled.

The sides of end portion 42 of the bar26 are preferably provided with substantially semispherical portions 44 providing point contacts with side walls I8 ofsocket I6 to permit lateral swing:

ing of the bar about the pivot stud 2'! as a center, and also tilting of one car relative to the other when the cars are in coupled position.

The end portion 42 of bar 26 is preferably provided with a rectangular slot 45, which is adapted to receive a draft gear of substantially standard construction. The draft gear shown includes an outer cylindric member 46 slidably mounted in slot 45 and telescopically fitting over an inner cylindric member 41, which extends through an end opening 48 in the end of the bar. The cylindric member 41 has a roller 49 journaled in its I outer end for abutting the concavely curved inner 7 surface of end wall I9 of socket I6.

- to the left, as viewed in the drawing. In accordance with the usual construction of draft gears, interengaging elements (not shown in the drawing) are provided within cylindric member 45 and between members 46 and 4! for yieldingly or resiliently resisting relative longitudinal movement between members 46 and 41 of the draft gear.

The improved coupling means preferably includes a latch rod 52 journaled in lugs 53 projecting from end sill I3, or from top wall 26 of the socket I6 as shown, and a latch 54 is secured on the latch rod between the lugs. The latch 54 is adapted to enter an angular slot 55 having a lower inclined surface 550. and communicating with slot 45 for engaging an end portion 56 of draft gear member 46 at the inclined surface 56a thereof, which end portion 56 is slidably received in angular slot 55.

Preferably, the latch rod 52 extends laterally to one side of car Ill and is provided with a handle 5! for operating the latch, and a flat spring 58 secured to top wall 29 engages a squared portion on the latch rod (Fig. 5) to yieldingly hold the latch in the coupled position shown, and a suitable locking mechanism may be associated with the latch rod for holding the latch in raised or tion, the rollers 43 are supported immediately over the joint 2|, 22 by the bottom wall I1, and the load of the end of car II] is carried by the main support 23. The load of the end of car I I is distributed by the load distributing bar 26 between the main support 23 and the auxiliary truck 35. The proportion of the load of car II, which is carried by the auxiliary truck 35, depends upon the proportionate lengths of the lever arms of the bar 26 at each side of the pivotal connection. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the distance. between the pivot 21 and the auxiliary truck axle is substantially twice that of the distance between the pivot 21 and the rollers 43, so that substantially one-third of the load of the end of. car I I is carried by the auxiliary truck and two-thirds by the main truck.

When it is desired to uncouple car II from car III, the latch 54 is raised out of engagement with draft gear member 46 by manipulating the handle 5'l-of the latch rod. The cars may then be moved apart longitudinally, and the rollers 43 will roll down the inclined guide plate 25 toward the dotdash position of Fig. 2, in which position the rollers 40 will abut the bolster member 4| and place all of the load of the end of car II on the auxiliary truck just before the rollers it leave the inclined guide plate 25.

When the cars are moved together for coupling, the rollers d3 ride up the guide plate and the end d2 of the bar 25 enters the socket it. When the roller d9 abuts the end wall W, the latch 55 will drop into the angular slot to couple the cars together.

When the cars are in coupled position, a longitudinal pull on car it toward the left, as viewed in the drawing, will be transmitted through the latch M, which is secured to end sill it of car it, to draft gear member 46, and yieldingly therefrom through member t'l, key til, lever bar 23, and pivotal connection 27, 28 to car H. The longitudinal pulling force is transmitted from latch St to draft gear member if at a point substantially in longitudinal and horizontal alignment with the pivotal connection El, 33, which transmits the pulling force from the bar 26 to car ll. Accordingly, the line of draft transmitting the pulling force from car H] to car ll is substantially in a straight line, which is obviously the most efficient construction and arrangement both from the standpoint of operation and durability.

If a pulling force is applied to car H, toward the right, as viewed in the drawing, it is transmitted through the same elements in the reverse order, to car It.

If a pushing force is applied to car it toward the right, or to car ll, toward the left, as viewed in the drawing, it is transmitted through roller d9, draft gear ll, M5, bar 26 and pivot 21, 23 to car H, or in the reverse order from car It to car ill; in which cases the line of draft is substantially a straight line.

It will be seen that the improved coupling means can be so constructed as to require a slight amount of compression in the draft gear before the latch drops in place, to eliminate substantially all slack between the cars in coupled position. This would merely require that the cars be brought together with suilicient force to compress the draft gear somewhat before coupling or uncoupling.

Where a solid train is desired in which there is no longitudinal movement in transmitting draft forces, the latch could be constructed to engage the load distributing bar directly, and the draft gear would then be located ahead of the engagement between the latch and bar for absorbing buffing loads or impact stresses.

It is understood that I do not wish to be limited to the particular form of latch and coupling means shown and described as a preferred em bodiment, but that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, the important thing being to have the coupling means engage the load bearing lever or a part thereof so as to keep the line of draft in a straight line longitudinally of the cars.

I claim:

1. Car supporting construction for supporting two car ends in coupled and uncoupled position, including a main truck supporting one car end, a load distributing member having a pivotal connection with the other car end provided with a slot and having one end supported on said main truck, a resilient draft gear mounted in said slot, and coupling means on said one car end engaging said draft gear at a point in longitudinal and horizontal alignment with said pivotal connection,

2. Car supporting construction for supporting two car ends in coupled and uncoupled position, including a main truck supporting one car end, a load distributing member having a pivotal connection with the other car end and having one end supported on said main truck, a resilient draft gear mounted within said one end of the load distributing member, and a latch pivotally mounted on said one car for extending into said load member end and engaging said draft gear at a point in longitudinal and horizontal alignment with said pivotal connection.

3. Car supporting construction for supporting two car ends in coupled and uncoupled position, including a main truck supporting one car end, a load distributing member having a pivotal connection with the other car end having one end supported on said main truck, resilient draft means mounted within said end of the load distributing member and having a portion projecting outwardly therefrom for abutting said one car end, and couplingmeans pivoted on said one car end for engaging the other end of said draft means.

4. Car supporting construction for supporting two car ends in coupled and uncoupled position, including a main truck supporting one car end, a load distributing member having a pivotal connection with the other car end and having one end supported on said main truck, a resilient draft gear mounted within said end of the load distributing member, one end of the draft gear projecting outwardly for abutting said one car end for transmitting compression forces in one direction, and a latch pivotally mounted on said one car end for engaging the other end of the draft gear within the load distributing member for transmitting draft forces in the opposite direction.

5. Car supporting construction for supporting two car ends in coupled and uncoupled position, including a main support supporting one car end, a load bearing lever having a pivotal mounting on the other car end for distributing the load thereof between an auxiliary support at one end of the lever and the main support at the other end, a resilient draft gear in the main support end of said lever having one end projecting outwardly therefrom and abutting the one car and coupling means on said one car engaging the other end of the draft gear for coupling the car ends, the engagement of the coupling means with the draft gear and the abutment of the draft gear with said one car being in a straight line longitudinally and horizontally with said pivotal mounting of the load bearing lever.

6. Car supporting construction for supporting two car ends in coupled and uncoupled position, including a main truck supporting one car end, a load distributing lever having a pivotal connection with the other car, one end of said lever having a slot therein, means on said lever laterally adjacent to said slot rollably abutting said main support, resilient draft means located within said slot, and coupling means on said one car end extending into said slot and engaging said draft means. 

